NLW Ascendancy XXXIII | Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 | LIVE
Mar 20, 2022 17:06:29 GMT -5
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Next Level Wrestling Presents
ASCENDENCY XXXIII
LIVE from the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana
April 2nd, 2022
"Obey" fills the Lakefront Arena as the opening lights flash all over the building to start the show. All the fans cheer with some college basketball jerseys being fairly easy to see in the crowd. The camera gets a few more wide shots before going ringside with Dan Simmons and Tommy West.
Dan Simmons: Welcome everyone to the thirty-third edition of Next Level Wrestling Ascendancy! I am Dan Simmons and I'm here with my partner, as always, Tommy West. And this is a special edition of Ascendancy, isn't it, Tommy?
Tommy West: Well, we got a lot going on in the city of New Orleans. BB Gunn saw it fit to delay the start of the show to not compete with the NCAA Final Four basketball fans, and we got a lot of people who ran over here after the games tonight to watch some high quality wrestling tonight!
Dan Simmons: Just a few miles across town at the Caeser's Superdome, top ranked Kansas defeated Villanova, 81-65 before second-ranked Duke fell in an upset to University of North Carolina, 81-77. And now a lot of fans watched the two finals teams punch their ticket and now want to see who leaves out of tonight's main event as NLW Heavyweight Champion!
Tommy West: While the Jayhawks and Tar Heels figure out their championship on Monday in the Superdome, here in the Lakefront Arena tonight, we've got Nathan Cage, defending the top title against the Emerald Blade, Keahi Sparks.
Dan Simmons: And that's not all for action. We have the XHF European Champion Riley Richards taking on Felix. In tag action, former NLW Tag Team Champions, the End faces former XHF Tag Team Champions, the Crinkly Bottom Boys.
Tommy West: And don't forget about Bugz? taking on Ai Moe and Razor Blade versus Willie Steen. But let's stop talking. Let's get this first match going!!
MATCH ONE
Willie Steen vs Razor Blade
Razor Blade is all confidence as he approaches the elbow-and-collar tie-up that begins the match with Willie Steen--and that confidence is matched by the arrogance of the Hollywood Dream. The two men of nearly-identical size jockey for control before Blade hauls Steen into a side headlock. Willie is quick to dislodge Razor by sending his opponent into the ropes before catching Blade with an arm drag. Both men pop back up in quick order, and this time Razor catches Willie with an arm drag of his own. Another double roll, and when Razor goes for a short-range lariat, Willie ducks under and grabs Blade for a German Suplex! Razor struggles to escape, but Steen is able to drive him with two Germans, but when he tries to complete the trio, Razor hooks a leg around Willie to block. Willie responds by shoving Razor forward, and since one leg was hooked in his, he can pull it out and make him faceplant. Willie transitions and tries to lock in a Koji Clutch, but Razor knows that one, too, and he quickly struggles, including trying to get Willie in his Razor Anaconda Vice, but the two eventually become such a tangle of limbs that the ref has to separate them.
When the two of them clash again, this time they meet with punches. Steen favors right hands, but Razor gets the upper hand as he comes from both sides. Steen eats a backfist, but when Razor goes for a roundhouse kick, Steen ducks under it and pulls Razor down in a Reverse DDT. He goes for a pin attempt, but gets a short two-count. He stomps Razor to keep him down, then runs to the ropes. He tries a rolling senton, and when Razor rolls out of the way, Willie flips forward enough to land on his feet. The crowd can't help but pop a little, but then they boo again when he gloats about it. Then Razor takes advantage and blasts him with a roundhouse! Steen staggers and falls near the corner, and as he pulls himself up in the corner, Razor comes barreling in with a charging knee lift to the chin! He grabs Steen and pulls him down with a running bulldog. Razor starts signaling for the end, but Steen rolls to the outside to recover. The crowd boos as Razor frowns, but then he sets himself, bouncing back against the ropes. He charges into a Suicide Dive, but Steen was waiting for him and catches him with a Jumping Complete Shot to the outside! The two men are down outside for a while.
They start moving around the count of five, and at the count of eight, both men roll into the ring. Steen is up first, but by the time he's up, Razor is on hands and knees. Steen pulls him up, but Razor surges and lifts Steen on his shoulders, going for a GTS! Steen's legs flail as he tries to get out, and eventually he lands behind Razor. He tries to pull Razor down into a crossface, but Razor locks his arms together to block getting fully locked in, giving him time to get to the ropes. Steen stomps at Razor as he is getting pulled away by referee Jennifer Thibodeaux. As Razor is pulling himself up, Steen brushes past Thibodeaux, who chides him as he pulls Razor up. Razor shoves Willie away to get some separation, but as Razor tries to go in for another GTS, Steen blocks and shifts Razor into powerbomb position, lifting him up before stepping over and planting Razor with the Cali Clash! He rolls Razor over for the academic one, two, three!
[WINNER: Willie Steen via Cali Clash at 7:49]
Steen celebrates in the ring when suddenly the lights dim and he’s interrupted by a slow clap coming from the tron. It was Tuna Meltzer holding his clipboard.
Tuna Meltzer: Wow, Steen. You finally did it. You finally won a match. But at what cost? You’ve only put half this crowd to sleep.
The crowd boos in disagreement. They thought it was a great match.
Tuna Meltzer: You know William, as a member of Hollywood, you could at least ACT like you know what you're doing inside a wrestling ring.
Tuna shakes his head in disgust.
Tuna Meltzer: If I were a doctor, I would prescribe this match with Imodium because it was the drizzling shits.
Tuna crosses his arms as he glares into the camera.
Tuna Meltzer: I hereby rate this match half a star due to absolutely no one caring. What a disappointment.
He shrugs.
Tuna Meltzer: If there is any actual talent within you Steen, I suggest you find it soon before you find yourself out of a job. Trust me. I know better than you.
He nods into the camera. The crowd boos and Willie Steen watches from the ring in anger.
Tuna Meltzer: Thank you for watching.
The clips fades out, leaving the crowd booing and an angry Steen to leave the ring.
MATCH TWO
Bugz? vs Ai Moe
In a world of larger and muscular tanks, it’s strange to see such a size differential in the ring, but there being two people of such small stature. It’s even stranger that a five foot lady seems more athletic in build than the man a foot taller than her. She offers a lock up and Bugz? just looks at her funny. She gets impatient and reaches for Bugz? but he reaches for Ai’s hair and pulls her in to bite her on the head. Referee Jennifer Thibodeaux is horrified and immediately starts pulling on Bugz? She manages to get him off of Ai, but she is mad and starts nailing Bugz? in the leg with kicks. She starts pushing him back, but he starts pushing back with wild haymakers, and his height comes into play. He starts throwing wild kicks as well, but he overextends himself a bit and Ai gets under one of the kicks. She grabs Bugz? for a Tiger Suplex, managing to haul him over with her low center of gravity, but she only gets a short two count. She tries to get Bugz? in a Fujiwara, but his size makes it easier for him to block it until he can get the ropes.
When he gets up with the ropes, Ai goes for a move but Bugz? ducks under it, then whips around and clotheslines Moe and himself over the top rope to the floor! Thibodeaux starts counting them out, but Bugz? pays her no mind. He slams her head into the ring steps, shoves her back first into the barricade, then rolls in to break the count. He comes back out to ringside and picks Ai up, intending to whip her into the steps, but Ai hops up onto the steps and leaps back at him with a crossbody block! Bugz? goes down, but he doesn’t stay down, scrambling to his feet. Ai tries to lock in Love’s So Pure, but before the abdominal stretch is fully in, Bugz? runs her back first into the barricade a second time, then flees into the ring to recover.
Ai starts getting up, so Bugz? runs the ropes to launch himself into her with a suicide dive! He gets some cheers for Kill the Rabbit, but he has to get her back in the ring, and when he goes for the cover, he only gets two. He stalks Ai, looking for the Left Turn at Albuquerque, but when he leaps, Ai sees it coming and ducks out of the way, leaving Bugz? to land on his ass. Moe spins him over and tucks him over in a Gedo Clutch! Bugz?’s legs shake and flail as Thibodeaux counts, but just before three, he gets out. Ai slaps the canvas, firing herself up. She stalks Bugz? this time, grabbing an arm from behind, then shoves to Ripcord him into the Twilight Dance, but when she leaps with the hip attack, Bugz? catches her and does a kind of sloppy elevated Russian Leg Sweep sort of thing. The point is it stuns Moe long enough for Bugz to get another shot at Left Turn at Albuquerque, this time landing the leg drop bulldog and getting an emphatic, if eccentric, three count.
[WINNER: Bugz? via Left Turn at Albuquerque at 4:47]
We cut backstage where Kelly Ross is standing by.
KELLY: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time...
She signs deeply.
KELLY (cont’d): ...Sexton Love.
The Louisiana fans erupt into a deafening barrage of boos as The Most Hated Man in NLW enters the frame.
SEXTON: Your guest at this time...
He points at the title belt resting on his shoulder.
SEXTON (cont’d): The Triple X*Crown CHAMPION, Sexton Love... GET IT RIGHT, TOOTS!
The crowd interjects with another round of boos, even louder than the first.
KELLY: I’ll try my best.
She rolls her eyes while Bodzilla flexes and poses for the camera.
KELLY (cont’d): ...But as far as that so-called championship is concerned–
Sexton abruptly turns towards her.
SEXTON: What the hell do you know about championship belts? As far as I can tell, you’ve only got two jobs around here... lookin’ good and askin’ questions... but you’re comin’ up short on both, babbeh. YOU’RE A SEVEN AT BEST... and you look like a five standing next to The Notorious B...O...D.
He flexes again.
SEXTON (cont’d): And on top of that, you ain’t even the best interviewer in NLW... because that title belongs to Big Daddeh Love as well.
Not only am I the Sexiest There Is, Sexiest There Was, and Sexiest There Ever Will Be...
Not only am I the reigning, defending, undisputed, Triple X*Crown Champion of the World...
The greatest professional wrestler on God’s Flat Earth...
I’m ALSO the host of the hottest wrestling talk-show in the world... THE SEX TALK, babbeh!
Thunderous boos.
KELLY (unimpressed): So if you’re everything that you claim to be... the "greatest wrestler in the world"... then why have you been ducking Felix for about a month now?
SEXTON (irritated): Let’s get one thing straight, missy. Big Daddeh Love fears noooooooooobody, yeahhhhhh.
Using his index finger, he draws a horizontal line through the air.
SEXTON (cont’d): ...ABSOLUTELY NOBODY! DIG IT?!?
Kelly recoils in shock. The champ takes a moment to compose himself, breathing heavily.
SEXTON (cont'd): You obviously need a little bit of help in the interviewing department, toots... so let me flip it around and ask you a question-- How could I be ducking somebody that I’ve fought on two separate occasions? Somebody that I’ve BEATEN on two separate occasions?
KELLY (nervously): Well technically, you won both of those matches by disqualification--
SEXTON: A WIN IS A WIN, babbeh... and that’s something Felix will just never understand, ya feel me? He’s got a list of holds longer than the train that runs through you every weekend, toots... but he still can’t win the Big One. Just like how you’ll never get the Big One either.
She scowls in disgust as Sexton snatches the microphone from her hands.
SEXTON (cont'd): MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT! The Triple X*Crown is the Big One is Next Level Wrestling, because Sexton Love is the Big One... IN AND OUT OF THE RING! And Felix has about the same chance of holding this title as Kelly Ross has of holding my piece. I’m talkin’ ABSOLUTELY ZERO, yeahhhh...
He takes the belt off his shoulder, holding it up in front of the camera as the shot zooms in.
SEXTON (cont’d): I ain’t just a ladies’ man, babbeh, I’m a dangerous man... a DAMN DANGEROUS man... and if Kelly Ross thinks that I’m afraid of a beta male like Felix... if you Louisiana sweathogs think that Sexton Love can’t put Felix down for the COUNT... well that’s somethin' I just can’t allow. You want to boo Sexton Love? You want to disrespect the Triple X*Crown Champion? Then whatever happens next is on your hands. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again... SEX SELLS. Ohhhhh yeahhhhh. And at the end of the day, THAT’S why Sexton Love is the biggest star in the wrestling business. THAT’S WHY I’M THE BIG ONE.
Red-faced and drenched in sweat, Bodzilla pauses for a moment before delivering his final line.
SEXTON (cont'd): The only thing Sexton Love draws more than money is BLOOD, babbeh... and that means Felix is the one who should be afraid...
Slinging the belt back over his shoulder, the Triple X*Crown Champion walks away, leaving a frightened Kelly Ross in his wake...
MATCH THREE
The End vs The Crinkly Bottom Boys
Noel is keen to have Blobby start the match, seeming a little aggressive, even for him. In response, Fargo starts for The End. Referee Gabe Valentine calls for the bell, and the match starts with a good old fashioned slug fest. Fargo strikes hard, but Blobby absorbs the blows, and it seems fairly even, but Fargo does a knee lift that glances off Blobby’s strange shape, giving Blobby a chance to bludgeon Fargo down to a knee. Blobby goes for a suplex, but Fargo blocks, which makes Blobby squeal and vibrate aggressively, but Fargo takes the opening and lifts Blobby’s leg to heave him over in an Exploder! Fargo then kicks Blobby while he’s down, and when Noel shouts about fixing Fargo’s attitude, Fargo turns to look at him, and the Crinkly Bottom corner goes silent. Fargo leans down to pick Blobby up, but in defiance of the laws of physics and all known gods, Blobby pulls Fargo down in an inside cradle! He only gets a short two count, but this incenses Fargo, who hits an early Shotgun Blast, trying to uppercut Blobby’s stupid head right off. This doesn’t happen, but it does let him tag in Mehrunes, and the two of them lift Blobby up before shoving him into their corner and start laying into him with palm strikes and corner stomps. As Valentine pulls Fargo off, Mehrunes comes in with a basement dropkick to the slumped Blobby’s face.
Mehrunes knows how Blobby lost his match last show, so he goes up top while he’s not moving, but as soon as he’s up top, Blobby is stirring, so he hops back down. Blobby is headed toward his corner to tag in Noel, who doesn’t look thrilled with the idea. So much so that when Blobby is about to get there, he hops down off the apron. Smith takes the leg of Blobby and drags him back toward center ring. He pulls Blobby’s arms back to set up for the Deepstomp, but Noel slips a dib dab up under his nose, so when Smith stomps down, he’s stomping Blobby down into the dib dab! Yes, there is pain and a squishy head, but a couple seconds later, Blobby is back up and vibrating loudly, much to the Terror’s surprise. He starts throwing strikes, but Blobby just absorbs them before punching Smith back. He staggers Smith, then throws a series of left jabs, does a disturbing gelatinous version of the Knocky Knees move from the Charleston before blasting Mehrunes with the Blobby #3 finishing right hand. Fargo rushes in to try and take the heat off, but Blobby just clotheslines him, knocking him down, then immediately runs the ropes before leaping head first into Fargo’s abdomen with Blobby #4! He goes for a cover, but Valentine has to tell him Smith is legal, just as the man himself clubs him in the back of the head.
Fargo and Smith start getting up, and Valentine starts trying to get Fargo out of the ring, but he brushes past him. Mehrunes grabs Blobby by the waist and Fargo runs the ropes, intending for a combo Shotgun Blast, but Noel pulls the ropes down and makes Fargo spill to the outside! Mehrunes shouts at Noel, but Blobby starts struggling, elbowing his way out of the waistlock, so Smith responds by hitting a Ghettolizer to the back of Blobby’s...Blob. Smith measures Blobby and decides the Triangle Choke won’t work, so he lifts him, looking for the Call of the Deep, but Blobby is too unwieldy and lands behind Smith. Blobby runs against the ropes, looking for Blobby #2, but Smith has it scouted and whips around to kick him again, but Blobby avoids the second Ghettolizer, rolling under it, and then rolling until he hits the bottom rope. As he gets up, he raises his arms and shouts his name, then turns around to Mehrunes as he grabs Blobby, trying to get him up for a body slam, but Blobby slips out behind a second time. This time he bends down and lifts Mehrunes for Blobby #1! Smith struggles to escape, but Blobby holds fast, and drops him with a One Winged Angel! Fargo is up and immediately moves toward the ring, but Noel waits until Valentine is sliding into position to whip a boot between Fargo’s legs! Fargo doesn’t fully collapse, but it hobbles him enough that he can’t get to Blobby in time, and Blobby picks up another win!
[WINNER: Crinkly Bottom Boys via Blobby #1 at 10:04]
We cut to backstage to see The Stormcrow, Tommy Kelly heading down a corridor backstage ignoring the workers and stagehands around, clearly moving with a purpose. As He reaches a corner near a vending machine a mighty roar can be heard as out of nowhere The Spiked One, Spike Kane comes charging at Kelly, a sledgehammer wrapped in barbed wire in his hands. Catching Tommy off guard, Spike nails him in the gut, causing Kelly to double over. With a might swing Spike lunges with his sledgehammer but Tommy ducks out of the way and Spike slams the hammer into the glass of the vending machine, causing it to shatter. Kelly immediately begins to start firing off shots at Kane, but like a man possessed, Spike simply shrugs the shots off before casually lifting the Spiked One Version 7.0 right into the privates of Tommy Kelly, the barbed wire connecting and causing an instant reaction from Tommy. Spike takes a few steps away as Kelly drops to a knee.
Spike Kane: I came here for this, I came here for you. I drew the fucking line in the sand, but nothing.....silence almost...
He grabs Tommy Kelly by the face, but Kelly reaches up and slaps Spike away, still reeling from the low blow.
Spike Kane: I bring the ratings, they make me curtain jerk. I squash their talent, they don't book me. I step in to fill in for the fucking world champion, and I don't even get booked? Nah....I'm Spike fucking Kane, and it's about time they, and you, realise it.
Fire in his eyes Spike drops the sledgehammer and extends his arms, inviting Tommy to fight him. As Kelly launches from his one knee with a lariat that could probably decapitate someone, Spike shifts his weight, and he pops Tommy Kelly up into the air before BLOOD GOD'S WRATH THROUGH THE VENDING MACHINE! Spike throws Tommy through the mostly shattered glass and into the mechincal coils and products, causing Tommy Kelly to crumble into a messy, bloody heap. Security begin to storm down the hallway as Spike simply smirks.
Spike Kane: All Bloody Hail!
Instantly security begin to push and shove Spike away, whilst medical personnel attempt to check on Tommy Kelly, Spike's laugh echoing down the corridor. The camera cuts to ringside.
MATCH FOUR
Felix vs Riley Richards
After the bell rings–but before the action begins–Riley Richards offers a bow of respect to Felix that’s a little awkward, but the respect is there. The Tactician smiles faintly before returning the gesture. It’s all business after that initial display of sportsmanship. Felix starts with a barrage of palm strikes while Riley goes with roundhouse kicks to the legs or waist, both men laying into their foe in their chosen style of striking. Felix’s size and freshness win him the exchange, as Riley tries to get inside but Felix switches to Snake Style blocks and ties Riley up and throws him with a half-hatch suplex, immediately floating over into a short two count. Riley rolls up to his feet quickly, resetting his stance, and he faces off with Felix again. He blocks a Tiger palm and gets a European uppercut, then ducks under the retaliatory strike, running to the ropes to springboard off, twisting around to roundhouse Felix right in the head. He goes for his own cover, but referee Gabe Valentine only just gets to two once again. Riley tries to hook Felix for a suplex before Felix can get back to his feet, but Felix shifts his weight, throwing Riley over his shoulder with an Uchi-mata throw. Riley tries to sit up before Felix can follow up, but gets a soccer kick to the small of the back. Felix drops down to try and lock him in a Sodegarami, but Riley struggles against the grounded full nelson enough to get his legs in the ropes before Felix can lock it in, and when Valentine orders Felix to back off, he obliges.
Riley takes a little longer than normal to leave the safety of the ropes, taking a moment to gather himself. But as soon as he steps out of the ropes, Felix engages. He opts for thigh and calf kicks to get Riley off balance, but Riley’s able to hop over the legsweep that follows, grabbing the ropes to springboard again, but Felix sees it coming and Shoteis Riley out of his boots as he comes down! He goes for a cover but Gabe can only give him a two-count. Felix tries to turn Riley over for a Fujiwara, but Riley knows to flip out before he gets locked in, and as he rolls up to his feet, he blocks a high kick and ducks a second Shotei, running the ropes, then clings to them when Felix goes for a spinning kick on the rebound. As Felix approaches, Riley gets a high kick of his own, then slips through the ropes. He blocks a strike, elbows Felix to push him away from the ropes, and springboards in with a big forearm strike! He immediately runs the ropes again and hits a Rolling Thunder senton as well, goes for a cover, but Felix kicks out at two and a half. After the flurry, Riley holds his head as he catches his breath. Felix is moving slowly after the combination, so Riley climbs to the top rope, probably looking to hit the Tactician with Bristol’s Finest, but at the last moment, Felix rolls out of the way, leaving Riley to jolt his knees. He rolls through the best he can, but as he gets to his feet, Felix is ready with a series of Tiger Claws that pushes him back into the corner, at which point he switches between Tiger strikes and knife-edge chops that ends with Riley sagging forward into a jumping knee strike!
Riley staggers out of the corner, tries to lash out with a sluggish haymaker that Felix catches with a Snake style grip, at which point Felix winds up and blasts him with a Splitting the Mountain Blow, full armed blast across the back of the neck. Riley collapses and Felix covers Riley, and Gabe Valentine counts to three! The crowd cheers for the upset, but it’s short-lived, as Valentine has to call it off, as he sees Riley’s foot on the bottom rope! Felix is the one to put his hands on his face now, but his frustration is short-lived, as he puts his eyes back on the prize. He stands up, as Valentine has told him to back off after the rope break. He backs to the other side of the ring, but as he waits for Riley to get out of the ropes, a familiar figure hops the barricade.The crowd howls with boos as Sexton Love hops onto the apron while Gabe Valentine is checking on Riley. Felix turns around and exchanges words, but before Sexton can do anything, Riley starts stirring so he hops down. Felix turns to engage Riley. Riley throws a few kicks, but Felix starts to overpower him, hitting elbow smashes to stagger Riley, then blasts him with cravate knee strikes. Riley is out on his feet as Felix backs against the ropes, but Sexton whips his arm in and hooks Felix’s boot. More boos rain down as Felix stumbles, then turns around in anger. But that’s just what Sexton wanted, as Riley seizes the opening, grabbing Felix from behind and slamming him face first with a reverse Russian Leg Sweep! After The Homage, he turns Felix over with the last of his strength and lays across him for a three count!
As ‘Megitsune’ blares over the loudspeakers, Riley is unceremoniously thrown out of the ring by Sexton Love, the boos growing all the louder as Bodzilla turns his attention to the man that he just screwed over. Rolling Felix over onto his stomach, Love drops down and cinches in his take on the Last Chancery, the Love Lock wrenched for all its worth as Felix struggles to escape! After such a Hellacious match, however, such is not in the Tactician’s ability. It takes Greg Valentine calling for help from the back to get Love to relinquish the hold, Felix limp and seemingly lifeless as Sexton Love stands over his fallen foe, jaw-jacking at the crowd as the hatred from the fans in attendance rains down.
[WINNER: Riley Richards Via The Homage at 12:51]
Next Level Wrestling Presents
HOSTILE INTENT 2022
LIVE from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana
Saturday, May 28th, 2022
HOSTILE INTENT 2022
LIVE from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana
Saturday, May 28th, 2022
The camera cuts to the office of NLW’s General Manager. BB Gunn is seated behind his desk, hands folded as they rest atop the wooden surface in front of him. Gunn offers a faint smile to the camera before he begins to speak.
BB Gunn: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you’ve been enjoying the action so far, not to mention anticipating our main event of the evening which is about to come up. Keahi Sparks has a lot going for her, as admittedly does our reigning NLW World Champion.
That last part looks almost painful for Gunn to admit… which is probably why he’s quick to continue on.
BB Gunn: Be it Nathan Cage or Keahi Sparks tha emerges victorious tonight, what awaits them in the future will befit the name Hostile Intent like nothing that has ever been seen in NLW before… but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Gunn smirks, knowing full well that he’s just piqued the audience’s curiosity… but he does have other business to attend to.
BB Gunn: On Ascendancy XXXVI, NLW will be opening its doors to all comers for a very special championship opportunity. The Super Scramble’s rules are simple; whoever has the most pinfalls and/or submissions at the end of a sixty minute period is the winner, and the winner will receive a championship match after Hostile Intent that will depend upon how many points are scored by the victor!
Nodding, Gunn’s smirk grows all the more.
BB Gunn: That title match isn’t the only thing that’s coming after Hostile Intent, either. Just the same as last year, the path to Collision Course will be defined by the return of the G1… but this year? It’s going to be bigger and better than before. In the coming weeks, I will be releasing more information. For now, though?
That smirk turns into a genuine smile.
BB Gunn: Enjoy our main event.
The camera cuts to ringside so the fans can do exactly that.
MAIN EVENT - MATCH FIVE
NLW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Nathan Cage (C) vs Keahi Sparks
As Marty Watts announces that the following contest was the main event and for the Next Level Wrestling Heavyweight Championship, every fan in the Lakefront Arena jumps to their feet. As soon as Keahi Sparks’s music starts playing, the crowd erupts into cheers. While the Emerald Blade journeys down the ramp to the sound of “Overdrive” by Lazerhawk, Simmons and West comment on how determined she looks to finally capture that title that has still eluded her thus far in her NLW run. The cheers quickly shifted to boos as Lazerhawk was replaced by Lifeseeker. As the Champion appears on the ramp, all the fans were quick to shout all sorts of angry words at him. Cage wasn’t rattled by it. In fact, he was actually reveling in the disapproval from all the fans. As soon as the Rabid Dog reaches the bottom of the ramp, he holds the belt high above his head and reminds the fans that as much as it annoys them, he is still the top dog of Next Level Wrestling. Before he could gloat any longer, head official Gabe Valentine takes the championship belt from Cage to hold in the air to declare the Heavyweight Title on the line in tonight’s match. He hands it to the timekeeper beside Watts, Simmons, and West, who in turn, rings the bell to start the match.
Nathan Cage starts the match with a violent lariat that knocks Keahi Sparks off her feet. He repeats and then again. As Keahi ducks a fourth, she finds it was a feint and a knee was being thrusted into her chest. The position leads to a snap suplex from the NLW Heavyweight Champion. He bounces off the ropes to head back to the downed Sparks before flipping off Sparks prior to dropping a running elbow to the back of her head. The fans let their displeasure known as Cage hooks the leg, but Gabe Valentine’s hand only slaps the mat twice before Sparks kicks out.
Cage yanks Keahi back up by her hair before she comes back up with a European Uppercut that was both vicious and not expected by the champion. Cage looks like he wants to try to rake Keahi’s eyes, but her knife edge chop was quicker. Then she hits another chop. Then another. And another. And the fans start wooing after each and every single chop Keahi Sparks lands on the chest of Nathan Cage. Eventually, Cage finds himself in the corner of the ring. Sparks takes enough steps back to land a charging clothesline with enough power to make Cage’s feet flail in the air. But Keahi Sparks wasn’t done using the corner to her advantage as she props the not-that-much-larger Nathan Cage on the top rope and climbs up with him. With every fan leaping upon impact, Keahi Sparks hits her superplex on Cage. Cage crashes into the center of the ring before Sparks hooks the legs with the intent to capture the championship, but Cage kicks out at two.
Sparks remains on the mat for a moment as she also fell from the height of the top rope after the superplex. Cage does the same. Valentine begins counting to ten, but after three, Sparks yanks herself up. Cage isn’t far behind her. Both competitors lock eyes for just a moment before Cage steps forward… right into a jumping spinning heel kick from the Emerald Blade. When he pops back up for more, Sparks had something a little more definitive in mind on how to strike Cage next. Before Cage could even react, he was being slammed into the mat with the Lights in the Sky (Blue Thunder Bomb), with Sparks keeping his legs up for a cover and yet another two count. At that moment, Cage felt desperate. Desperate enough that as both competitors were getting back up, Nathan Cage shoves Keahi Sparks into Gabe Valentine, who falls between the top and middle rope and out of the ring.
The fans boo as they see the intentional removal of the referee by the champion. As soon as Sparks runs back at Cage, he leaps up and drops the Cage Thesz Press, going way longer with the strikes and assault than a referee would have allowed. Nathan Cage flips Sparks off once more before rolling out of the ring. He returns to the ring fairly quickly with a brand new toy: a steel chair from ringside. He looks at Sparks, trying to get back up, and slams the steel chair into her back. And again. And again. And to make matters worse, he drives her head first into the chair with a piledriver. He disposes of the chair before yanking Gabe Valentine into the ring as he covers Sparks to retain the title but perhaps Valentine wasn’t fast enough because Sparks is somehow able to kick out before the three count.
Nathan Cage, not happy with the speed of the hurting Valentine’s counting, pushes the referee back out of the ring with his foot. Just as he does, Keahi Sparks gets a school boy in on the oblivious champion. The fans count to three but Gabe Valentine is still out cold outside the ring. Cage simply starts laughing before kicking Sparks off of him. He pulls her up, not learning his lesson from earlier in the match as Keahi has no problem punching the cheating Cage right in the throat. She uses the keeled over Cage as a jumping pad to hit the Dive Bomb (Triple Jump Moonsault) onto the back of Nathan Cage. This time, aware there is no referee, Keahi Sparks doesn’t bother going for the cover but instead tries to lock in a rear naked choke to wear down the combative Cage. Cage, also knowing there is still no referee, doesn’t go for the ropes, but instead tries to roll over to the corner. Sparks, not quite understanding what’s happening, just keeps the hold locked until Cage uses the corner to get back up and then slams Sparks into the turnbuckles as many times as it takes until the hold gets released. Nathan Cage doesn’t waste anytime slamming Sparks back into the middle of the ring with the Death By Cage (Pumphandle Driver) into the center of the ring. Cage sees junior official Jenny Thibodeaux running down to the ring and makes the cover. She counts to one. Everyone in the building is currently holding their collective breath after everything Nathan Cage has done to try to beat Keahi Sparks. Jenny gets to two. Everyone is wishing, hoping, praying and as soon as Jenny’s hand gets inches from the mat for the three… KEAHI SPARKS KICKS OUT!!! The fans are stunned! The commentators are speechless! Even Jenny wasn’t expecting it but reiterates that the count was only two. Nathan Cage isn’t even going after Jenny for the count and just shocked that Keahi Sparks is still fighting after everything.
Nathan Cage runs his hands through his hair and starts to wonder what he has to do to put down Sparks. The chair shots, the strikes, the finisher… none of it was enough. He shoves her straight into the corner and tries to slam her head into the turnbuckle, otherwise known as the Fucked in the Head, but Keahi frees herself after the first one and pops off a bicycle pele kick that came out of nowhere on Nathan Cage. Both competitors are down. Before Jenny could even start counting, Sparks kips up to her feet. She drops the leg on Cage with a running leg drop. She continues with a standing moonsault. Cage starts to try to get up but Sparks won’t let it come easily. She hits him with a left. And a right. And another left. And another right. And after everything Nathan Cage has done to Keahi Sparks, her ambition and heart and desire to be champion keeps her fighting and she keeps striking Nathan Cage with everything she’s got. She looks like she wants to go for the kill shot but one knee strike from the champion later and he drags her to the mat with a small package. Jenny Thibodeaux counts one, and then Nathan Cage grabs onto the bottom rope. Thibodeaux doesn’t see as she counts to two… and then three. Cage releases the rope as soon as the match is officially his before he can be caught and Jenny calls for the bell. Cage is handed his belt while Keahi Sparks looks astonished at what just happened.
[WINNER and STILL NLW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Nathan Cage Via Small Package with rope leverage at 20:10]
Dan Simmons: This is disgraceful! Keahi Sparks was ROBBED tonight!!
Tommy West: The result is the result though, Dan. Nathan Cage threw everything he had at Keahi Sparks and did what he had to do to retain the title.
Nathan Cage rolls out of the ring while Sparks still stares up at the lights, still processing what happened.
Dan Simmons: This is disgusting... ridiculous... I can't believe what we just witnessed!
Tommy West: All the adjectives in the world won't change what we just saw, Dan. We know BB Gunn said that he has something special for whoever walked out of this match tonight as champion. I am positive Keahi Sparks will be a part of whatever that plan is.
Dan Simmons: I'm so disappointed right now. UGH!! Well, for Marty Watts and Tommy West, my name is Dan Simmons, signing off. Be safe to all of you in town for the big basketball tournament, and we will see you all in two weeks for Ascendancy Thirty-Four!
